Hard
by Sue Dunham
Summary: In which Reno makes a comment Cloud takes offence to. Rated for boy touching and to be on the safe side.


"C'mon Cloud, just strap on that big piece of metal you call a sword and when we get there I'll round up some snarling beasties for ya." Reno finished with the latest of his poorly constructed, but enthusiastically delivered arguments. He was beaming hopefully at Cloud.

"I don't kill if it can be avoided, Reno." Cloud struggled to keep his voice as disinterested as possible. He hadn't decided what to do about neo-ShinRa, or whatever the hell they were calling it, yet. He still wasn't sure he wouldn't have to tear the place down and make enemies of the Turk's again.

Cloud was standing in the middle of Tifa's bar with a Turk on either side of him. They had been lying in wait to catch him before he left for the day. It was too early for the bar to be open, so the three of them were alone in the large space. Reno, everything about him loud and vibrant, stood on Cloud's left, closest to the door and escape. While Rude, Reno's partner and exact opposite, stood to Cloud's right and slightly behind him. Reno's long red hair was mussed and his eyes had dark telling circles under them. It was clearly an early morning for the red-head. Rude's bald head and sunglasses gave nothing away.

They wanted Cloud's help. Reno, as usual, had done all the talking. Cloud had said, "no" and "not interested," six times as Reno bounced unfazed from demanding, to cajoling, to begging, and everywhere in between.

Reno scoffed at his response, turning and heading for the door."You're such a softy, ya puss."

Cloud stiffened at the offhand insult. He wasn't sure how Reno did it, but the damnable Turk managed to get under his skin. He'd never met anyone who could push his buttons like Reno. He always seemed to hit with unerring accuracy, like he knew exactly where to aim and when it would be most effective. Cloud's eyes narrowed at the back of Reno's head as he turned away. He had quite had his fill of that particular insult.

Relaxing his exceptionally fine tuned body for action, he shoved Reno lightly in the shoulder to set him off balance and slow his progress. Next he quickly spun to trip Rude who was behind him. He had nothing against Rude and hoped the man would forgive him for the unwarranted ambush, but Cloud needed a minute with Reno where his partner couldn't interrupt.

It only took Reno a split second to regain his equilibrium after Cloud's gentle push, but in that time Cloud had already dealt with Rude and was shoving his way into Reno's personal space. He knocked aside defensively raised hands and crowded the taller man.

"C'mon Cloud," Reno wheedled in his most non-confrontational tone, "I didn't-"

Reno was cut short as Cloud spun him bodily into the wall. He curled his fingers into the material covering Reno's chest and held him in place. Cloud decided he liked the way Reno's eyes grew wide in startlement.

Cloud could feel Rude climbing silently to his feet behind him. He wasn't sure if Rude would stay out of this or come to his partner's defence. His right hand went out to forestall any advance, while his left held Reno tight to the wall, planted against his sternum. One hand demanded stillness while the other pleaded for it.

Cloud's eyes had yet to leave Reno's; vivid red bangs were partially obscuring the Turk's anxious orbs, making him look contrite. The moment stretched, but didn't snap. All Cloud could hear were the unnecessarily harsh breaths he and Reno created together and the soft sounds of Rude agitatedly adjusting his clothing.

When Cloud felt Rude would stay where he was, he relaxed again and used his now free hand to grab Reno's. Reno was grimacing at him, like he thought he'd gone too far and was expecting painful retribution.

"Yo Cloud, don't break anything man, I gotta work and Rufus'd have my ass." The statement came out strangled, but hopeful and ended like a question. Reno's mouth was all that had moved. Reno's mouth was always moving.

"Shut up Reno." Cloud knew he sounded distant and angry. He didn't want to care what Reno thought of him, but he did. Reno said he was soft, it shouldn't matter, but it did.

Cloud grabbed Reno's wrist tightly

Reno closed his eyes; Cloud thought he must actually be expecting the snap of breaking bones and the hot pain that accompanied them. He would have felt frustrated at his inability to interact with people, if he wasn't so set on his next course of action. It felt inevitable; it felt like déjà vu.

Cloud guided Reno's hand gently but firmly to his own arm. He ran Reno's hand up and over his strong forearm to the tensed, tightly flexed muscles of his upper arm and then from his shoulder to his well defined chest.

Cloud's body was always hot, but he couldn't help reacting to the presence of Reno's sweaty-warm palm ghosting over his skin and shirt. He wanted; he needed… gods, _why_ did Reno have to have this effect on him.

He failed to fully suppress a small shudder. S_hit._

Reno's eyes popped open and his face looked vaguely alarmed.

Cloud refused to stop; manipulating Reno's hand he guided it where he wanted it.

From his chest, Cloud slowly ran Reno's hand down his taut sharply defined abdomen. He watched Reno's eyes flutter in response. That reaction had been hoped for, but not expected. Cloud wasn't surprised at the liquid heat that travelled down his spine in response.

He could have stopped there, having made his point. However, after seeing Reno's skin flush in response to what he was doing, Cloud wanted more. He moved Reno's hand again. Straight down to what was arguably the hardest part of him. The part of him that throbbed with need and bucked greedily at the touch of Reno's splayed fingers.

"Does any of this feel soft to you Reno?" His voice was calm, soft as usual and laced with heat. He wondered if Reno could hear it. He was close enough that he could have kissed him if he wanted, or been kissed if Reno had wanted. Reno stayed splayed against the wall, shocked maybe, while Cloud had his hand trapped against his erection.

Having made his point and quite possibly a fool out of himself, Cloud released Reno, who slumped against the wall, face guarded, before making his way to the door.

Cloud opened the door with barely leashed violence. He looked back into the room and carefully avoided meeting anyone's eyes. "I'll think about it," he told the wall somewhere between Rude and Reno. He wasn't completely sure why he said it. He didn't want anything to do with ShinRa. Maybe he wanted more to do with Reno?

* * *

Rude had watched the entire exchange with wide eyes and an emotionless face. Strife's display had left Reno shaken, which seemed to confirm Rude's suspicions about his partner. Reno had a thing for the sword wielding, planet saving, ex-SOLDIER hero. Given the way he was still laying against the wall, Rude guessed it was a _major _thing.

"The hell was that partner?" Rude's voice contained his surprise and was flat and fluid as always. He reached for his friend, to haul his ass away from the wall and off the premises. Talking to Strife had taken longer than they had thought and they had shit to do. It would also be nice to leave the place without anything getting broken. A task best achieved by limiting its exposure to Reno.

"The fuck if I know," he said reaching down to tug at his trousers, "shit, I'm so hard I can barely walk straight." Reno's voice was a little breathless and very nearly a whine.

He was indeed walking funny, but that was far more information than Rude needed. He grunted a non-committal sound, hoping it would satisfy his partner and forestall any further need for talking on his part.

* * *

Alright, so here we have my first work of fiction ever. I am new to all of this, the pairing, the world, the rating system and even the website (sort of).

Thank you, anyone who has taken the time to read this. I am glad to share it with you :)

I would very much appreciate any help or comments you might see fit to impart. I do have to apologize for what I am sure is at the very least poor grammar. It is an area I struggle with and am working on. This has only been self edited and sometimes it is hard to see the errors in our own work, so do not hesitate to point out my mistakes please (regardless of what they may be).

I am not sure this needs to be rated M but I haven't mastered the system.

Also I am Canadian so please forgive those words which appear to have an unnecessary U (or 'defence' which for us IS spelled with a 'C')

I have seen posts with warnings and as soon as I figure out what should be warned against I will add that too.


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